These sourdough discard muffins studded with chocolate chips have a bakery-style crumb that’s dense yet tender. They’re an excellent way to use extra unfed sourdough starter and make a satisfying snack or breakfast treat with your morning coffee.
Do you keep a sourdough starter and end up with discard? These muffins are an easy, reliable recipe that uses that discard and delivers consistent results.
🍫Ingredients
Sourdough starter discard: Use unfed (inactive) discard — the starter that has been fed, peaked and then deflated. Active starter can work but will affect rise and flavor slightly.
All-purpose flour: This recipe is written for all-purpose flour; bread flour can make the muffins overly dense.
Sour cream: I prefer full-fat sour cream for richness. Whole-fat yogurt can be substituted.
Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs for best texture.
Full ingredient list and quantities are in the recipe card below.
🥣How to Make
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the cooled melted butter and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then mix in the sourdough discard.
- Add the milk and sour cream, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract just until incorporated — avoid overmixing.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups (a cookie scoop works well).
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake an additional 25–30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm for best flavor.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes. Allow muffins to cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thawed muffins may have a slightly different texture than freshly baked ones.
🍞More Sourdough Recipes
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Sourdough Discard Recipes
-
Sourdough Cookie Recipes
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25+ Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
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Sourdough Focaccia Bread
Did you make this recipe? If you enjoyed it, please leave a 5-★ rating in the recipe card and share how it went in the comments — I love hearing from readers.
📋Recipe
Sourdough Discard Muffins
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Mixing bowls
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons melted butter (cooled)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or nonstick spray.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled melted butter and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the sourdough discard.
- Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla until just incorporated — do not overmix.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Portion batter into the 12 muffin cups (a cookie scoop helps with even distribution).
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 25–30 minutes more, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Best served warm.
Notes
Sourdough discard: This recipe uses unfed discard (inactive starter). If using active starter, expect a slightly different rise and tang.
Flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for the intended texture; bread flour can yield denser muffins.
Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream or whole-fat yogurt will give the best richness.
Eggs: Room-temperature eggs produce a better, more even crumb.
Nutrition (approx. per muffin)
Calories: 358 kcal · Carbs: 50 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 16 g · Sugar: 24 g · Fiber: 2 g (values are approximate)